Post 77 scores eight in the third to down Cherryville

Published: Tuesday, June 25, 2013 at 10:40 p.m.

Last Modified: Tuesday, June 25, 2013 at 10:40 p.m.

After falling behind 4-0 in the first inning to Cherryville Post 100 on Tuesday night at East Henderson, Henderson County Post 77's baseball team changed its tone when towering Sam Linn took the mound in the second inning.

Linn held the powerful Cherryville squad to just two more runs the rest of the way, and Post 77 exploded for eight runs in the third inning en route to a 9-6 victory.

Linn went 8 1/3 innings, allowing two runs (one earned) off five hits with four strikeouts.

“That was one of the finest legion pitching performances I've seen, and I've been doing this now for eight years,” Henderson County coach Ray Gill said. “We had planned to pitch him only two innings tonight, but when we scored those eight runs, that changed things. You want your best pitcher on the mound when you've got the lead on a great team like Cherryville.”

In the bottom half of the third, Post 77 (7-12, 5-8) got two-run singles from Linn and Henry Clements, and No. 9 hitter Tucker Epperson had a two-run double.

Epperson and Clements were the only Post 77 batters with multiple hits, as they each went 2-for-4.

Henderson County takes tonight off and will be back at home Thursday against Burke County and Friday against Rutherford. Post 77 travels to Cherryville on Saturday and to Haywood on Sunday to close out the regular season.

<p>After falling behind 4-0 in the first inning to Cherryville Post 100 on Tuesday night at East Henderson, Henderson County Post 77's baseball team changed its tone when towering Sam Linn took the mound in the second inning.</p><p>Linn held the powerful Cherryville squad to just two more runs the rest of the way, and Post 77 exploded for eight runs in the third inning en route to a 9-6 victory.</p><p>Linn went 8 1/3 innings, allowing two runs (one earned) off five hits with four strikeouts.</p><p>“That was one of the finest legion pitching performances I've seen, and I've been doing this now for eight years,” Henderson County coach Ray Gill said. “We had planned to pitch him only two innings tonight, but when we scored those eight runs, that changed things. You want your best pitcher on the mound when you've got the lead on a great team like Cherryville.”</p><p>Post 100 (7-8, 6-4) stranded 15 baserunners, leaving the bases loaded in the fourth and the ninth innings. Cherryville's best inning was the first, when Brett Huff hit a solo homer and Brandon Alexander hit a two-run shot off Post 77 starter Zack Oberlies.</p><p>In the bottom half of the third, Post 77 (7-12, 5-8) got two-run singles from Linn and Henry Clements, and No. 9 hitter Tucker Epperson had a two-run double. </p><p>Epperson and Clements were the only Post 77 batters with multiple hits, as they each went 2-for-4.</p><p>Henderson County takes tonight off and will be back at home Thursday against Burke County and Friday against Rutherford. Post 77 travels to Cherryville on Saturday and to Haywood on Sunday to close out the regular season.</p>